Riots and racism

I don't even know what or how to talk about what's been going on with the brutality/execution by police and recent riot in Baltimore after the funeral of a man there after being chased and apprehended by police, having his spine severed and dying as a result while in custody. 

I hear people say don't run from the police, and in general  that's good advice. If you're white. White people and black people have entirely different experiences and perceptions of even the simplest interactions with police. White folks have a very Sesame Street or muppet version of these interactions where they call them up if there's an intruder in their house or they have an accident or if they're a lost kid, find a policeman and they'll help him or her find the way home. Black folks, who are often assumed to be guilty unless they can prove innocence and routinely racially profiled have good reason to want to keep a safe distance from police to avoid unreasonable searches. I'm sure some white people will say well no, they've had plenty of complications and run ins with police, and while that may be true, I don't think this is helpful in understanding what is really going on. Segregation may have been struck down and we now promote equal rights outwardly, but there are historic wrongs and racism is institutionalized. I don't know how to fix it, but it certainly won't be by ignoring those facts and saying well I'm white and have suffered but I'm not angry like you. That's just self-righteousness and frankly, inexcusable ignorance.

There is a lot of condemnation of the riots for various reasons and I can see that on one level.  We want there to be a correlation. If I'm angry at news coverage, throw things at news bureaus. If I'm angry with large corporations, protest or loot those. 

A kind of funny response I heard was why can't people peacefully protest? Here's one reason. When I first heard about the riot in Balitmore, I heard nothing about the peaceful protests. The media showed up and only bothered to cover it when the violence erupted. Peaceful protests are ignored. And when it doesn't work (have we not seen peaceful protests about racism EVER??) and people who are supposed to be protecting you are killing you, THEN WHAT? Is rioting the answer, I don't know, I would say it's more of a result than a planned activity or solution. In the same way, the police killing these individuals recently isn't a planned policy, it's the result of the atmosphere, the profiling that isn't policy, but happens anyway, the broken system. 

And this is kind of what I just said but better. I heard it the day after I wrote this post:

When nonviolence is preached by the representatives of the state, while the state doles out heaps of violence to its citizens, it reveals itself to be a con. And none of this can mean that rioting or violence is "correct" or "wise," any more than a forest fire can be "correct" or "wise." --The Atlantic, Ta-Nehisi Coates

Yes we want to say that violence is never the answer. We want to believe there's always a peaceful way. (What would Iraq war supporters say about that. . . ? Never mind.)

BUT

"It is not enough for me to stand before you tonight and condemn riots. It would be morally irresponsible for me to do that without, at the same time, condemning the contingent, intolerable conditions that exist in our society. These conditions are the things that cause individuals to feel that they have no other alternative than to engage in violent rebellions to get attention. And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard."

--Martin Luther King, Jr., 1968

Before cameras were on almost all phones, white people were able to explain away police brutality, say it was rare, that racism was over. There is understandable anger, now that there is visual proof that police statements of innocence on the killings are patently false after all this time of having these things easily swept under the rug for so many years.

There is another line of reasoning saying there were peaceful protests and thugs turned it into something very different. That may be true to some extent, but it doesn't mean we can or should ignore or explain away the cause or the riot. There is systemic injustice and racism and that needs to be addressed.


http://www.democracynow.org/2015/4/28/national_guard_deployed_as_baltimore_erupts

http://www.democracynow.org/2015/4/29/you_can_replace_property_you_cant

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/11/25/riot_as_the_language_of_the  (old- Ferguson)

A Christian view of the Palestinian Israeli conflict

Occupied with Nonviolence: A Palestinian Woman Speaks by Jean Zaru

I'm not quite finished with this one yet, but I feel like I already have a few points to make. 

It is a different perspective than I've been used to reading. Since I'm not a Muslim, I had focused on the Muslim perspective, trying to understand and get some background because experience and my gut were telling me there was more to the story than some would have you believe. You always hear people talking about Muslims oppressing the Christians in the Arab world, Arabs only understand violence, Islam causes terrorism, etc. At some point, even if you trust the source, you've got to find out if this is really true somehow. At least that's what I am compelled to do whether its a stereotype, an email, whatever.

When I started reading, I immediately felt a connection to the author. Her views were very, very familiar. They are very much my own. Not many of the facts are new; I've read quite a bit on this subject. The firm belief in the right of Palestinians to go back home if they want, to be compensated, to form a nation and actually share the land and resources with Israel minus the disclaimer that Israel has the right to exist and defend itself are in fact my own as well. I mean, why should we protect Israel's "right" to defend itself against the consequences of stealing, killing and oppressing hundreds of thousands of people?? 

The adherence to nonviolence is impressive and the understanding of it was insightful. She explains that it's not a passive position in which you let people walk all over you, but where you stand up for truth and justice in a way that you respect the human rights and life of everyone. It reminded me of discussions of meekness and submission in Bible studies. Jesus was meek and submitted to God; we are supposed to be meek and submissive - but this doesn't mean we are weak, scared and letting people trample the truth. On the contrary, true submission is a choice ("power under control" as I once heard it described), not something forced on you as we normally think of psychologically "breaking" a prisoner or animal.

She relates her experiences as a Palestinian Christian under Israeli occupation, which could be pretty eye-opening for some people unfamiliar with the conflict. She sees Israel as the major problem and hurdle and feels brotherhood with Muslims in this struggle in the same way Americans of different faiths come together on matters of national interests and security. She also confronts the issue of the beliefs of the American Christian fundamentalist right who ignore Palestinian Christians rights and safety in their blind support for Jews' Biblical right to live there. (Do they just not know about Palestinian Christians or do Christian Zionists knowingly reject fellow Christians' right to worship and live in peace in favor of the Jewish desire for control?)

More info: My previous post on Christian Zionism

I did take issue with at least one thing. She is one who doesn't appear to believe in a literal reading of the Old Testament. She believes all the mass killings the Israelites were commanded to do against entire nations is against God's character. I don't see how one can be a Christian and have this view. Apart from the Bible, how is one to know God? She seems to be indirectly claiming to know God apart from the Bible and that is a dangerous claim. One we can absolutely reject as false. The inspired writers of the New Testament explain this to those willing to hear. Hebrews, obviously, is a good choice- the Jews are having the old law explained- how the blood of bulls and goats isn't sufficient, elements of the old were types and shadows of the new, if the old had been perfect there wouldn't be a need for the new, and how the death of the testator put the new in force. Hebrews isn't the only place; the New Testament is filled with explanation of the Old. The Old is nailed to the cross (Col 2:13-15), the Old was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ (Gal 3:23-35), the Old gives us hope and is for our learning (Rom 15:4). The Old Testament is true and has it's place and the New Testament affirms that. That being said, I do agree with her 100% that one cannot use the Bible to prove Jews today have any more right to live in Palestine than anyone else, especially the residents (Palestinian Israelis) and former residents (refugees). Unlike her, I just don't think you have to reinterpret the Bible to see that; it's right there in the text.

Two links on the Bible and Israel/Palestine with scripture references:

Why Do You Refer To Israel As Palestine?

God and the Nation of Israel

I'm also pretty averse to saying absolutely that the Bible condones war or teaches pacifism or supports banning gay marriage or any other political act or persuasion. I think this is possibly going beyond what is written. The Bible is the guide for our spiritual growth and direction. This is not to say that the spiritual doesn't or shouldn't intersect with politics and such because the teachings of the Bible absolutely should inform our everyday decisions. This may sound contradictory, but it isn't. Maybe the nuance lies in putting each command of the Bible into law to become hollow like in the Pharisees time versus having the freedom to choose to submit to God's will and make these decisions for yourself (as far as the decisions don't hurt others- which is where the real purpose of civil law comes in...). Anyway, I'm with her as far as personally being compelled to help people and to treat others as I'd like to be treated. For example, if I were an occupied and oppressed person, I'd want the world to stand up to the occupying power instead of defending its right to exist on my grandparents property and defending its right to defend itself against my efforts to gain compensation, freedom, dignity and sadly, even basic necessities.


Other Christian Palestinian books or authors:

Mitri Raheb (Palestinian Christian, writes about the Occupation and being Christian)
---I Am A Palestinian Christian
---Bethlehem Besieged

Raja Shehadeh (Palestinian Christian, writes about the Occupation)
---Palestinian Walks
---Strangers in the House
---When the Birds Stopped Singing


Suad Amiry (Palestinian Christian, writes about the Occupation)
Sharon and My Mother-in-Law (under occupation with humor and grace)

Nothing to Lose But Your Life


Maria Khoury- I can't speak for her specific Chrsitian doctrine, but here is more proof that Palestinian Chrsitians are kind of ignored in American Christian support of Israel.


Naim Ateek on suicide bombing


The Kairos Palestine Document


Emma Williams
It's Easier to Reach Heaven Than the End of the Street (Westerner, doctor, mother, eyewitness to the conflict)



Fiction:
Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa

So where is the Palestinian Gandhi?

This is a post from a few months ago with the quote about the fact that the Palestinian Gandhis everyone's always demanding are languishing in Israeli prisons:

http://notanotherpoliticalblog-j.blogspot.com/2010/07/palestinian-nonviolence-relies-on.html


***
Recent news:

EU rebukes Israel for convicting Palestinian protester

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11099394


The guy was arrested for protesting without a permit. You might say he was rightfully arrested...until you read a little about Israeli laws and what applies to Israeli Arabs and what applies to Jews. Arabs can't even get permits to work or to build houses, let alone protest!

The Israeli Declaration of Independence stated that the State of Israel would ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex, and guaranteed freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture. While formally equal according to Israeli law, a number of official sources acknowledge that Arab citizens of Israel experience discrimination in many aspects of life.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_citizens_of_Israel#Civil_Rights

Palestinians outside Israel are in worse shape, being denied access to their own water supplies, among other issues of curfews, closures, raids, incursions, political imprisonment, home demolitions, blockades, withholding tax money, withholding permits and visas, not allowing entry or exit even for schooling and family reunification, etc:

http://baltimorechronicle.com/2010/080610Lendman.shtml
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8327188.stm


Some human rights sites if you had any question as to the dire situation Palestinians are in:

http://www.alhaq.org/
http://www.phrmg.org/
http://www.hrw.org/middle-eastn-africa/israel-and-occupied-territories
http://www.amnesty.org/en/region/israel-occupied-palestinian-territories
http://www.miftah.org


***

For other posts like this, see my posts labeled non-violence in the right hand column.

Palestinian nonviolence relies on global non-silence

I don't know if I posted this before, but it answers a question I hear all the time- where is the Palestinian Gandhi anyway, why don't they try Dr. King's methods, etc.

Like many resisting oppression, Palestinian Gandhis are likely to be found in prisons after being repressed by Israeli soldiers or police or in the hospital after being brutally beaten or worse.

Palestinian nonviolence relies on global non-silence

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/may/21/palestinian-nonviolence-israeli-repression

More Palestinian Non-violent Resistance: Ni'lin

Not nearly the hot topic Palestinian terrorism is amongst Americans, but I feel this one is way more important.


Ni'lin has its own Facebook page.

http://palestineremembered.com/GeoPoints/Ni_lin_1458/index.html

http://www.popularstruggle.org/content/two-years-resistance-niilin


IDF attacking peaceful protesters, footage of protests, etc:

June/July 2010- blog, pictures
http://www.jonathanbyoung.com/demonstration-in-nilin/
http://palestinevideo.blogspot.com/2010/07/nilin-demo-against-apartheid-wall-9.html
http://www.imemc.org/article/58914

April 1, 2010
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/levi-felix/video-getting-tear-gassed_b_521212.html

Nov 21, 2009
http://www.imemc.org/article/57173

Aug 1, 2008- 2 killed
http://www.democracynow.org/2008/8/1/israeli_troops_kill_two_palestinians_in

July 8, 2008- video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG7t8NpdU18



My other posts on Palestinian non-violent resistance:

http://notanotherpoliticalblog-j.blogspot.com/2008/04/nonviolence.html

http://notanotherpoliticalblog-j.blogspot.com/2009/05/palestinian-non-violent-resistance.html

http://notanotherpoliticalblog-j.blogspot.com/2010/05/palestinian-non-violent-resistance.html

Palestinian non-violent resistance: Renewed boycott effort

May 24, 2010 - Mosaic on LinkTV
'Palestinians intensify settlement boycott campaign'
(New TV, Lebanon)
http://www.linktv.org/mosaic/20100524/mosaic-news-5-24-10-world-news-from-the-middle-east

This latest effort has purportedly caused some 17 or so businesses in the settlements to close their doors. I really hope this continues, there and abroad. They are encouraging Palestinians to buy Palestinian. That in an of itself is probably going to improve the Palestinian economic situation.

Could Palestinian leaders be getting a spine, a conscience? Given the US position, I doubt we knew about it or gave any sort of ok. I hope they can withstand any US pressure. This doesn't exactly make up for years of bad leadership and bowing to outside interests instead of sticking to the goal of returning home and getting basic rights back, but it seems like a welcome step in the right direction.

I first wanted to call attention to this because so many say Palestinians are terrorists or cheerleaders for terrorists; they don't peacefully protest. Wrong in the first place, but here's further proof. Peaceful protest doesn't make good news- that's why you don't hear about it, not because it doesn't happen. This time, we are sitting up and noticing probably only because Israel is upset, crying foul, victim, terrorism, hostile act, etc.

Another reason to look at this is the ridiculous reaction by the settlers. They are complaining of being victims of economic terrorism! Really? When Palestinians embrace non-violence and choose a boycott rather than strapping bombs to their bodies, this is objectionable??? So when Israelis and others in the wake of a suicide bombing said Palestinians will never get anywhere with violence, they should "try" peaceful means (as though they don't or haven't)-- what exactly did they mean? Rolling over and dying, or at the very least, lining up voluntarily for wholesale incarceration of the entire population??? Will peaceful protest get Palestinians statehood and rights like everyone claims? Or will Israel react the same as if the boycott was a suicide bombing? If they try and counter boycott, they will be in violation of international law. But what's one more, right? What law? We will see.

*** *** ***

Funny line from this blog...

Settler groups, who you can imagine may see a Palestinian sneezing and call it germ warfare, have decided that this boycott amounts to "economic terror".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/may/26/palestinian-boycott-jewish-settlement-goods

*** *** ***
MIFTAH, a great site. Here's an article on this boycott:

http://www.miftah.org/Display.cfm?DocId=22132&CategoryId=5


*** *** ***
A more pro-Israel look:

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3892107,00.html


****************************************************
More on boycott:

http://bdsmovement.net/
http://www.inminds.co.uk/boycott-israel.php
http://www.bigcampaign.org/

Palestinian non-violent resistance

I posted these 2 questions on a forum- I think in response to hearing this week about the protests at Bil'in where Israel killed several people.

I can see why Israel wants to silence these people. They've got valid points that they're trying to get across peacefully and they are organized with their own conference and village website. Now that's more dangerous that suicide bombers! It should inspire fear in the hearts of those who thrive on oppression and hatred.

Bil’in’s conference on non-violent resistance
http://www.commongroundnews.org/article.php?id=25400&lan=en&sid=0&sp=0

The village's website:
http://www.bilin-village.org/english/

***
***


How much do you know about the history of Palestinian non-violent resistance?

Do you think there is only suicide bombing and rocket launching?

Were you aware of any non-violent protests currently or in the past?

Do you think these non-violent protests have made a difference?

Should they continue?

http://www.palestinemonitor.org/spip/spip.php?article49

http://qumsiyeh.org/palestiniannonviolentresistance/
(scroll down on this one- it is very detailed when you get there)


***
***


Do you know as much about peaceful Palestinian protest as you do about suicide bombers?
My guess is more Palestinians have peacefully protested than suicide bombed, but that's not the impression you get from the media.

What do you think?

Which do you think are actually more prevalent?

If more people indeed have peacefully protested than suicide bombed, why the opposite impression? Maybe violence sells? What does that say about us? Does it put us on the opposite side of peace?

Non-violent protests against West Bank barrier turn increasingly dangerous
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/27/israel-security-barrier-protests

non-violence

Click here for a quick primer on the Palestinian struggle.

I was listening to a piece on Tibet and the recent unrest or potential unrest there. It seems they have employed nonviolence in their struggle for years. Many people say, including US government officials, that if only the Palestinians would renounce or end all violence, then Israel would ever so graciously let them move about freely and maybe even have their own country on a tiny sliver of land in the region. Dare to dream. That just wouldn't happen. If there's no violence, the conflict would get less publicity than it gets now and Israel would feel free to grab more land and collectively punish in silence. Well, the nonviolent approach hasn't worked so well for Tibetans. They are still in a struggle with China and some want to reconsider the nonviolent approach. I have always said the Palestinian struggle is not a matter of terrorists vs democracy or Muslim vs Jew; it is a political struggle that needs a political solution which is occasionally hijacked by fanatics, unfortunately for the Palestinians. Any attempt to call it anything different is an attempt to put off discussing actual solutions: statehood, one state vs two, boundaries, and so called "final status issues".

I'm not advocating violence. I'm saying that political struggles need political solutions. You can't wait on all parties to stop the violence or make up reasons for the violence. While that's great for the population in a sense, it is not a solution. If the US would abandon the "smoke 'em out of their holes", "I'm not talking to terrorists (or people I deem terrorists or people who look at me funny or those who had WMD 10 years ago)" bit, we might be able to be an effective mediator. Maybe those things will die with Bush's presidency. No more cowboy "diplomacy"!!